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were destroyed in a huge fire which broke out in the Government Printing Press, the Society took a number of steps to get those valuable works rewritten. One of these books, the second volume of the Afghan History, was rewritten and published in Pakhto. Other publications of the Historical Society were "The Spread of Islam in Afghanistan," the second volume of "Kabul Citadel," "The Mausoleums in Kabul," "The Descendants of Chengez," and "The Documents of Shah Shuja Period." DEPARTMENT OF MUSEUMS The Department of Museums classified and catalogued 3,000 items uncovered in Mundigak and took steps in connection with the preservation of costumes collected at the Ethnography Section. Five hundred display cards were printed describing the Bagram finds. In order to improve the display of ancient coins the Department of Museums imported a large number of special covers in which to display the coins in sections. To enhance the co-operation between the Central Museum and museums in the provinces all provincial museums formerly functioning under local municipalities were brought under the Department of Museums and many steps have been taken to rearrange their displays and bring up-to-date their organisation. The Department of Museums in co-operation with the French Archæological Expedition, uncovered the Eastern base of the great Surkh Kotal Temple and found nine inscriptions in one place and forty-four in another. In Ghazni the Department succeeded in finding forty-two inscriptions on decorated marble bringing the total number to seventy-three. Most of these inscriptions bear either the name of Mahmood, the great Ghaznavid Emperor, or that of his son Masuod. In a place between Ghazni and Rouza the Italian Archæological Expedition has found a number of very Kabul Museum is often visited by groups of students from various schools. important stopas which they believe to be the greatest in the whole country. Accidental Finds: At Chardara, Kunduz, 176 different coins belonging to the Ghaznavid and Saljukid periods were found. These coins throw much light upon the reigns of different kings as far as the dates of their rise and fall is concerned. The second accidental find was a stone axe uncovered at Daranoor, Nangarhar Province. The third was a scene from a Buddhist ceremony engraved on stone showing a number of Buddhists presenting their offerings to Buddha. Their mode of dress represents the local dress of the Koshanid period. This stone was uncovered in Kalakan, Kohdaman. The Department of Museums has rearranged the collection of old manuscripts in a separate section and is planning to purchase all the publications about Afghanistan for reference purposes. So far 3,000 such publications have been bought and it is expected that the remaining books and pamphlets will reach the museum in due course. U.N.E.S.C.O. is expected to send three experts to help Kabul Museum with the arrangement of coins and manuscripts. The Asia Foundation awarded two scholarships to the Department to send two of its officials to Switzerland to learn decoration and display techniques. Likewise the Asia Foundation has made arrangements for cataloguing all items in Kabul Museum and sending abroad three more officials to study techniques for mending old manuscripts. 18